Encourage employee involvement

How workplace design can be used to increase employee engagement

Organizations that want to increase employee engagement may be surprised to learn that almost a third of workers are not involved or detached but fall somewhere in the midst of being engaged or not. These workers may not actively hurt the organization, but they also do not benefit it. Because they form a large part of the workforce, only a slight increase in their level of involvement can have a significant impact on business performance. One way to do this is to make some important changes to their work environment.

By maximizing the potential of workplace design there are a number of things you can do to help increase employee engagement.

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Give employees choices and control over when and how to work

Studies have highlighted that while employees do need times of focus, at other times they need to collaborate. Sometimes they prefer to be alone in a quiet place, and other times they prefer to be in a cafe with people and buzz around them. It is important to be able to choose what works best on a certain day. Make this a priority when carrying out your next office refit. For an Office Fit out Company, visit mobiusatwork.co.uk/

Enhance and promote collaboration, especially for teams based in various locations

Collaboration is the key to any workplace, but the space must be designed to support a variety of collaboration styles as well. For example, project space for intense activity between three to six people can display a high seating position to support active brain movement and activity, with whiteboards and technology for sharing digital content. That will be very dramatically different from the set up required for meeting with suppliers or clients, engaging in a video conference or a training session, for example.

Provide employees with spaces to focus, concentrate, and enjoy some privacy

Studies have shown that workers who have greater levels of engagement have more access to spaces where they can concentrate that is separate from their colleagues. In addition, neuroscience teaches us that our brains are not designed for multitasking and that staying focused requires energy. According to the University of California, we are open to distractions every three minutes, with an impact that results in our ability to focus and concentrate. This is very important for employees in an open plan office, to enable them to balance ongoing contact with coworkers with moments of privacy and determination.

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Allow workers to move physically during the day and change posture

Employees who feel engaged are healthy employees. Therefore, it is important for staff to have the opportunity to move during the work day to maintain their physical well-being. Space must support a variety of postures and encourage movement – both through seating tables, seating designed to support interaction with mobile devices, even lounge chairs that allow staff to sit with standing legs to relax. There are many choices for increasing physical well-being. Movement is a major supporter of brain regeneration, thereby helping us produce our best ideas.